USDA National Agricultural Lab Resouce Guide

Resource List on Food Allergies and Intolerances
for Consumers
February 2008


This comprehensive resource guide is in .pdf format here.

Honey BBQ Chicken Wings

1 lb chicken wings (no tips)
2-3 scallions- sliced (reserve some for garnish)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup port wine
1/3 cup Stonewall Kitchen Honey BBQ Sauce
2 T Safflower or Canola oil
1 T light brown sugar
1/4 tsp fresh ground ginger
1-2 star anise
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Constantly stir chicken wings and scallions over medium heat in oil for 5-7 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and cover. Lower heat a notch and stir every few minutes for 15-20 minutes. When internal temp is over 170, remove cover, lower heat and continue to cook until wings are fully coated and tender.

Serve over lettuce and garnish with reserved scallion.

Serve with paper napkins or towels or a solid commitment to replace existing cloth towels.

What the farmer knows about ethanol.

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BBQ Spice Rub

If dietary restrictions or food sensitivities and/or allergies are not an issue...


use Penzeys. Once you have enjoyed Penzeys Spices , the mega-mart spices will be left behind. You have been warned.

Penzeys spice mixtures such as the Barbecue of the Americas are delicious and great time-savers. For tonight's boneless pork loin, we needed to avoid a couple of ingredients from the pre-mixed version so we made our own.
Kosher salt, smoked hot paprika, allspice, cayenne pepper, freshly ground nutmeg, thyme, powdered ginger and galangal.
Indirect heat, charcoal, 45 minutes, more charcoal, another 30 minutes or until internal temperature reads 165. Rest for 5 minutes or so and served with rice and beans. A little horseradish Dijon mustard makes a nice accompaniment.




This one could have easily turned into a pulled pork dish, but not tonight. Maybe next time.

KFC online and in-person; food allergy aware...but...

Judging from the website, KFC is food allergy aware. Two clicks from the homepage, the linked page, a comprehensive and easy to read guide addressing all of the common allergens, gluten and MSG use in KFC foods. According to this page there are no peanuts or tree nuts in any of the offerings at KFC. Very nice. A useful page and easy to read.

When we visited the KFC on route 140 in Franklin, MA today, we didn't have a printout of the web page with us...and either did they. When we asked the first presumably
certified server about their Allergies and Sensitivities information, his response was to call someone, perhaps a manager. He didn't say and either did she. Rather than repeat my question, he pointed with a head tilt prompting me, his customer, to repeat the question. Other than the three of us, there were no customers and three KFC personnel that we could see. Of the three, one fellow was busy emptying trash receptacles and generally on the move. The first we had encountered and apparently stumped by the food allergy question. The third was a female shaking her head before the question was fully out. "No no no. We don't have nothing like that."

This is not an issue specific to KFC. Restaurant policy regarding food allergies might be exemplary. Sometimes well-intentioned "Training Programs" are ineffectual.

If you are responsible for guarding against allergens for yourself or for others, your food server may or may not be a credible source. In some cases, they might not know...and in some cases...they just don't care.

Never fear, a Perfect Fried Chicken recipe is soon to be posted.

Taco Taco

Browned ground sirloin with yellow onions, Sargento Taco cheese blend, diced fresh plum tomatoes, la mexicana guacamole (which is uncontaminated with the vile weed known as cilantro that is so common in salsa's and guacamole's), Chi Chi's fiesta Salsa (also uncontaminated with the foul cilantro weed), and sour cream. The ground sirloin is baked at 350 in a soft taco shell flour tortillas for about 20 minutes and the toppings are added buffet style to each diners taste. Individuals with a damaged palate, perhaps from years of drinking battery acid, might want to add some cilantro.

No nuts, no eggs, no black pepper and a long list of other allergens...some unusual some not so unusual. leave a comment if you want details. oh yeah, and no cilantro.

Monster Salad

Iceberg lettuce, hydroponic tomatoes, green olives, red onions, grilled chicken, havarti with chives, carrot peals, sopressata, radish slices, shredded swiss cheese and Fresh Gourmet Wonton strips. Trader Joe's Sesame Soy Ginger Vinaigrette or Makoto Honey Ginger Dressing.